Life in Seattle getting you down? Has it been too long between get-aways with your family, but responsibilities in Seattle prevent you from a full two week vacation? Weekend-getaways might just be enough to relax and recharge, and be back to real life come Monday morning. There are endless choices, and most are very wallet friendly!
You need to get away, but don’t have the time or money to take a
week or two off to head to your favorite destinations. Many people
count out taking a weekend and heading to a semi-local vacation spot
that allows them to get away, relax, enjoy time alone or together, and
find romance, rest, fun, or whatever it is you are looking for in a
vacation.
The beauty of weekend getaways is that you can travel on a
budget and not miss work, kids activities, and so forth. For a few
years while in school, my wife and I never had enough time or money to
take a full fledged trip, so we would take little weekend trips a few
times a year experiencing more types of travel than if we had taken one
big trip.
So, we have put together a simple list of weekend getaways that
you can print out and enjoy immediately. Many of the ideas we mention
are generalized to any area of the world, however we will mention
various locations that are close to where we live as examples. Use your
imagination to brainstorm destinations that are within driving range
and quite affordable.
1. Romantic Getaways: These are usually at the top of the list.
With anniversaries, holidays, romantic events, and so on always around
the corner, we need to be on our toes to come up with fresh ideas to
sweep our significant others off their feet and keep the romance going.
Rent out a bed and breakfast in a small town, grab a hotel in a
romantic city like Paris, head to Las Vegas and enjoy all it has to
offer. Romantic spots are as creative as you make them.
2. Sporting Events: Big sporting events like March Madness
coming up is always fun. An example is two of my best friends for
Valentines Day are traveling a couple hours to our state capital to
watch the state high school basketball championships. Spring training
is coming up for baseball and is always in a warm location. You have
racing, football, golf, the Olympics, baseball, the major horse racing
events like the Kentucky Derby. The list goes on and on.
3. Camping: This is a cheap vacation that can be fun, romantic,
and adventurous. Combine camping with white water rafting or go hiking
or without being too adventurous, rent a cabin in the woods and get
away from society all together.
4. Theme Parks: One year we traveled to Cedar Point in
Sandusky, Ohio and enjoyed a day at the theme park and the night at
Put-n-Bay on Lake Erie. Also, we live near Kings Island in Cincinnati,
Ohio and many people travel from all over to spend a couple of days
enjoying the attractions there. There are theme parks everywhere and
are a great way to have some fun while enjoying an array of activities.
If you aren’t close to Disney World or Disneyland, then think of a
closer location.
5. Famous vacations spots: Las Vegas comes to mind. We enjoy
traveling to Gatlingurg, Tennessee and spending a couple days in a
cabin, shopping, eating, and hanging out. New York, San Diego, anywhere
in a 6 hour driving time to your home can be perfect. Just write down a
few places within that circle and pick one.
6. Beaches: Unfortunately, we don’t live within a few hours of
a beach, but many people do. A great weekend getaway to enjoy the walks
on the beach, dinner overlooking the ocean, beachfront hotel or villa,
and all a beach vacation has to offer.
7. Festivals, Events, Concerts: Is there a musician playing in
a town not too far away? What about a major event or festival? Pack the
bags and head out for the weekend. Grab a hotel and head to this event.
You’ll have a great time. We have done this many times and always have
a good time.
This is just a short list of ideas. Pack your bags and just get
away. You’ll come back feeling refreshed and ready to plan your next
weekend getaway.
Have fun and tell us how your trip was!!
